In typical barbecues, the grill or cooking surface is generally flat, often being defined by ribs which are spaced apart and substantially parallel. The barbecue unit also typically includes a warming rack which is positioned a distance above the grill, when the barbecue unit's hood is opened.
In conventional barbecues, the food to be cooked can be positioned therein only according to a limited number of options. For example, on the grill, the position of the food items may be changed (i.e., laterally or inwardly, or both) for exposure to more or less heat, as required. Once cooked, the food may be positioned on the warming rack, where the food is held sufficiently far away from the heat that it is warmed, with minimal further cooking thereof.
However, different types of food require different arrangements for cooking it, and the limited options available in known barbecues are sometimes inadequate. For instance, a shish kebab should be positioned relatively close to heat for cooking, but not so close as to char or blacken the food. In addition, many available accessories and food retention devices can only be used in one configuration. For example, specialized racks for cooking drumsticks or grill pans cannot be readily used at the same time other accessories are being used, such as skewers and the like.